Friction-clutch



(No Model.)

J. W. BLODGETT.

PRIGTION CLUTCH.

No. 340,974. Patented May 4, 1886.

6, cwamr.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W'. BLODGETT, OF HIGHVOOD, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANKLIN M. BLAIR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLUTCH.

SLCIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,974, dated May 4. 1886.

. Application filed Oct `bei-'5,' i835 o all whom it 11mg/ concer/L: y

Beit known that I, JOHN W. BLonGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highwood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichi Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a clutch embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the cup removed; Fig. 4, a sectional View taken on the line m w of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a sectional view taken on the line y y of Fig. l; Fig. 6, a sectional view taken on the line z z of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 a detail view of the cup detached.

Like letters refer to likeparts in all the hgures of the drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction and operation of frictionclutches, whereby certainty and quickness of action, simplicity of construction, and ease in the renewal of worn parts are obtained.

I will now proceed to describe in detail one way in which I have carried out my invention in practical form, and will then point out speeilically in the claims those features which I believe to be new and wish to protect by Letters Patent.

In the drawings, A represents one end or some other part of a shaft, to which is secured in any suitable way a cup-shaped disk, B. The flange b of this cup'disk is perpendicular to the body, and on the same side of the latter is a boss, b, centrally arranged and fitted to the shaft. The cup may be attachedto the shaft through the boss or otherwise.

C represents a lever, to which a pitman or some other device is to be connected for giving the required movement to some piece of machinery. This lever is either attached to or made in one piece with a plain disk, C', which is adapted t-o entirely cover the open end of the cup B, as shown in the several iigures of the drawings. The shaft A and boss b of the cup B extend through an enlarged aperture in this disk, so as to allow the lever C to move freely laterally relatively to the cup and shaft. At its shorter end the lever Serial No.17SLOS5. (No model.)

C is provided with two pins, o, the adjacent faces of which are cut to an are of a circle, as shown in Fig. 3, leaving a space, c', between the two pins, within which space the dange b of the cup B tits. It is evident that if the lever C were mounted upon the shaft A, or, which is the same thing, upon the boss b ofthe cup B, any force applied to the saidlever at the point represented by the pin P wouldv cause 6o said lever to revolve upon the shaft or boss, the tlangeb of the cup traveling freely between the pins c; but this lever is not so mounted, but is free to move laterally with regard to the shaft and cup, sothat when force is applied to the` longer arm of the lever it is moved upon the pins c as a fulcrum, so that these pins grasp the iiange b between them, after the manner of a wrench, thus effecting a firm and positive connection between the 7o lever and the cup,which causes the latter, and consequently the shaft A, to rotate. For instance, if power be applied to the longer arm of the lever C in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig. 4, the lever will move over until t-he pins c grip the iiange b of the cup B. During this preliminary movement the lever moves upon the pins c as a fulcrum. As soon, however, as the pins have gripped the flange, the lever moves upon the shaftA as a center, and, 8o being connected to the cup, which is in turn connected with the shaft, causes the said shaft to revolve. If the lever were allowed free play, power applied in the opposite direction to the arrow 1 would cause the lever to move 8 5 upon the center of the pins c until the ange of the cup were gripped between the pins again in a reverse way. This would cause a rocking motion of the shaft A, imparting to it a lateral rotary motion in opposite directions. 9o If it is desired, however, to give the said shaft an intermittent rotary motion in a single direction, I employ a spring-pawl, D, which is pivoted to the disk C', and thrust by means of a suitable spring, d, against the shaft A. It will at once be seen that this spring-pawl will hold the lever C over in such position that the pins c constantly grip the ange of the cup. In-this manner there is no lost motion, and the impulse imparted to the lever is im medi- 10o ately transmitted to the cup and shaft. At the same time this spring-pawl holds the cup and lever in such a relative position that when the lever reaches the end of its stroke and begins to return, instead of swinging over so as to grip the cup in a reverse manner, it is still held with the pins in the same relative position to the flange of the cup, in which position said iiange moves freely between the pins, so that upon the returnstroke of the lever' no movement is impartedto the cup or shaft. By this means a motion similar to a pawl-andratchet motion is imparted to the cup and shaft, there being, however, no lost motion. The action of the lever upon the cup may be reversed by reversing the arrangement of the spring-pawl D, so as to cause it to bear upon the opposite side of the shaft. Of course the spring-pressure necessary to hold the lever one side or the other may be supplied by other means than that of the spring-pawl shown.

The pins c are secured in position in any suitable manner, butV preferably by driving them into place in seats or apertures,in which they fit snugly and are held by their friction. These pins are the only part of the device at all subject to wear, and although this wear is very slight the pins may readily be renewed, if desired, thus producing practicallya new clutch at a very slight expense.

The shaft A is shown as connected to the cup B by means of a nut, E, and washer e upon one end of a spring, E', upon the other end. This latter bears against the disk portion of the cup with sufcient force to connect the two by means of the friction between them. The washer c extends out over the disk C and retains the same in place against the cup, at the same time covering the aperture'therein through which the shaft passes.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the construction and arrangement of devices precisely as herein shown and dcscribed, for it is evident that changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the essential characteristics of my invention, and, in fact, such changes will be a necessity in applying the improvement to different mechanisms and in different locations.

In the drawings and description above I have intended to illustratean application of my improved clutch, and only this.

I do not wish to be understood as here showing the exact and only conditions under which my improvement is to be applied.

It is obvious that this clutch is applicable in a great many places where'other clutches are used, and I wish to be understood as claiming it wherever it may be applied, and with what ever changes may be necessary in making different applications thereof.

Having thus described myinventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-l 1. In a friction-clutch, a flange attached to one of the moving parts, in combination with pins or projections attached to the companion moving part and arranged to grip the said flange, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The disk B, provided with the flange b,

in combination with the lever C, provided with pins c to grip the said fiange, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

, 8. The combination, with the disk B, provided with ange b and boss b,of the lever (l, provided with an enlarged aperture, through which the said boss passes loosely, and with pins or projections c, having between them a space, c', in which the ange b fits, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination,with the flanged cup B,

of the lever C, provided with pins c, and a spring to thrust the cup laterally, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination of the disk B, having liange b and boss b', the lever C, provided with pins c to grip the fiange, and the springarm D,pivoted to thelever and bearing against the boss, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN W. BLODGETT.

Witnesses:

IRVINE MILLER, A. lVI. BEsT. 

